The Causeway and Points Beyond, Wednesday Evening

[glacial_queen]

Karla wasn't sulking. Not at all. That would be ridiculous. Sure, just because her boyfriend of two years had left three days before their anniversary and then hadn't called at all today was no reason to be upset. Neither was the fact that when he had finally gotten around to gracing her with a phone call, it was to ask if Karla would run down to the Causeway and check the Bee for something he'd forgotten after a hurried and half-mumbled 'Happy Anniversary'.

So Karla was down on the other side of the Causeway, looking for her stupid boyfriend's stupid car so she could find whatever stupid thing he'd been looking for. It wasn't like she had a gift burning a hole in her pocket or anything. "This is bloody ridiculous," she muttered to where Nemi was perched on her shoulder. "You hear me? Abso-bloody-lutely ridic--"

The rest of what she had to say was swallowed up by an inarticulate cry of delight. There was Warren, lounging against the Bee, holding a bouquet of irises.

[For the gentleman what was mentioned and up early for lake-related SP. I'M ONNA BOAT Y'ALL! (Well, not right now)]

Comments

[wwiii]

"Taking liberties?" Warren would have put a hand to his forehead if they weren't both occupied, resting on her hips and all. "I hope he's more reasonable than to just jump to assumptions like that."

A pause.

"Even if I totally am. I'm a college guy with a high school girlfriend now. He has to know how many ideas that gives me when I'm around you."

[glacial_queen]

"He may, but I sure don't," Karla said, raising her face up to his for a kiss. "You're going to have to let me know what kind of ideas you've got. Seems only fair, don't you think?"

Nemi beeped from her shoulder to suggest that he certainly thought so. Or that he was going to go after the fly he'd seen buzzing around. One of those.

[wwiii]

"I suppose it does," Warren mused, happy to take her up on that kiss, beeping nemicolopterus or none. "Perhaps we can discuss it over crepes?"

Somebody had today alllll planned out, yes.

[glacial_queen]

Karla looked down at her clothes and then over to where Nemi was doing an amazing impression of a bumblebee as he tried to get a little higher off the ground. "I don't know if I'm quite dressed for crepes," she pointed out. "Unless you intend another private picnic somewhere...?"

[wwiii]

"Paris," Warren replied, grinning shamelessly. "And there's a dress in the car for you."

A beat.

"We'll be taking a portal to Paris, though. For as much work as Ben and Tony put into it, I still don't think we'd be able to cross the Atlantic in time to make our reservation if we were to drive there."

[glacial_queen]

Karla raised an eyebrow. "Oh? One of my own dresses or did you get all fancy on me and run out and get me a new one?"

If it was the latter, Karla would be very surprised. And impressed. Especially if it fit.

"Paris? We're going to Paris? What's there?" Besides it being the most romantic city in the world. Even Karla knew that. And considering the wrapped gift that was currently burning a hole in her pocket.

[wwiii]

"I got fancy," Warren replied, smirking a little. A few quick calls back to Kaeleer and a promise to replace phone batteries for the time used to make them meant that Warren could get anything he wanted, thanks. "You like blue, right?"

Trick question!

"And if you don't know what's in Paris, do you really want me to spoil the surprise?"

[glacial_queen]

"I'm actually rather fond of pink," Karla told him with a straight face. "And frills. And short hemlines. You got me a dress just like that, right?"

And a stolen kiss to go with that description, too. Because it was required.

"Well, if you're going to promise me a surprise..."

[wwiii]

"Just like," Warren replied, stone-faced. "Except for the blue. I hope blue isn't a deal-breaker."

It was long, and of a simple, elegant cut, and azure, with actual sapphires and diamonds worked into the detailing. Because Warren never did anything in half-measures, okay?

"And a surprise is exactly what I'm going to promise you."

And another kiss. Surprising, huh?

[glacial_queen]

And there, on the passenger seat of the Bee, was the box that Warren had likely meant her to find. It was a long, white garment box and contained gown lovely enough to make Karla gasp. The back lay on top, to catch the light and sparkle.

"Oh, Warren," she cried, holding it up. "It is lovely. Is this my anniversary gift, then? This? It's beautiful." And looked like it would fit like a dream.

[wwiii]

"Part of it, at least. There are some shoes to go with it, though they're a bit simpler," because one wouldn't want to pull the attention away from that back, "and something to match."

He fished through his pocket for a moment, pulling out another, smaller box, and held that out for her.

He almost felt guilty, sometimes, that he could give her things like this no matter what the occasion. Happy Tuesday, and all. But that's why he fully intended to make up for the fact that most possible gifts were no-effort ones in Paris.

[glacial_queen]

"The kind of shoes that are strappy and run nicely up your thigh?" Karla teased, taking the box and opening it. "I'm hoping that they--oooooh!"

She turned her back to him, raising her hair to bear her neck. There were two clasps there; the one that held her Sapphire and the one that held her Hourglass, still with the sand split between both ends.

"Put it on me?"

[wwiii]

"Of course," Warren chuckled, reaching and fastening the necklace for her, maybe a little bit proud of himself, for how deft he'd gotten at that one small gesture in spite of his claws. "You like them, then?"

It was probably a good sign, what with her wanting to wear the necklace right away and all.

[glacial_queen]

"I love them." Karla shivered as one claw trailed down the top of her spine, bringing goosebumps to her skin. She vanished her hourglass and put a sightshield over her Sapphire. Tonight, only Warren's necklace would shimmer at her throat. Plucking the earrings from her ears, she vanished those as well and placed her new ones there instead. "They're beautiful."

She turned back around and smiled up at him. "How do they look on me?"

[wwiii]

"On their own, they're pretty nice looking," Warren mused, taking a half-step back for a better look. "But with you wearing them, I think all other earrings and necklaces would be jealous of these ones. You wear them well, Karla."

He needed to lean forward to kiss her, now.

[glacial_queen]

Well, he certainly needed no invitation to do so. His was open, always, and constant. Her earrings dangled at her throat as she tipped her head back to return the kiss, hands coming up to glide up his back.

"You sure we have to catch that portal?" she teased against his lips. "We could change plans. Celebrate our anniversary with you in that and me in my new jewelry and pretty shoes?"

And in case he missed her meaning that she would only be wearing those, she sent him an image of the same, laying out on a bed at the hotel, giving him and inviting smile and naughty glance.

[wwiii]

Warren chuckled at the image, a rumbling purr as he pulled her up against his chest.

"I have this feeling," he murmured, letting his hands wander around her waist again, "that where I'm taking you, we could celebrate our anniversary just like that, too. But with nicer scenery."

[glacial_queen]

"That dress suggests you intend to take me somewhere that nudity would probably be frowned on," Karla said with a throaty laugh as she looked up into his eyes. "I was simply pointing out that rather than taking me somewhere, you could just...take me."

Karla, stop being a cheap date. The boy has something nice planned for you.

[wwiii]

"Paris first," Warren sniffed, though he was still grinning slightly. "And then I'll take you on top of the Eiffel Tower if you have your heart set on it."

... He'd probably try, at least.

"But I do have reservations tonight."

[glacial_queen]

"Take me up to visit?" Karla asked. Because these things needed to be specified beforehand. "Or did you mean...?"

[wwiii]

"I don't get to surprise you at all, do I?" Warren grinned. "Are you coming, or am I taking Nemi to Paris with me instead?"

[glacial_queen]

"I suppose I'll come along, since you asked so nicely," Karla laughed. "Besides, I can't have Nemi looking better than I would in that dress."

She stole another kiss, then asked, "In the Bee? Or is the portal from here instead."

[wwiii]

... There was no way in hell he was going to take that thing to Paris, Karla. No matter how much he loved you.

"I don't think there's any parking where we're going," he fibbed. "So I figured I'd get the portal directly there, and we can sort out directions once we're in France."

[glacial_queen]

KARLA WAS PRETTY SURE THEY'D PUT WINGS IN THE CAR, WARREN. WINGS. AND ROCKETS. AND POSSIBLY A FISHTANK.

She held up her box. "Where we be going somewhere I can change?" she asked. "Because I am not getting naked in the parking lot."

If it had remained a minivan she could have gotten changed in there. Just sayin'.

[wwiii]

"There will be a place to change," Warren promised, chuckling. "And it'll be way more comfortable than trying to change in the bee."

Especially around that fishtank.

... No, wait, they'd vetoed the fishtank.